iPhone 17 family continues to leak before big reveal – set for major battery gains

We don't have long to go before Apple unveils its latest family of iPhones, with its Awe Dropping event to take place tomorrow, 9 September. But that doesn't mean the rumours and leaks have stopped.

Indeed, there's even one we've not heard quite as much over the last few months – most of the models in the iPhone 17 lineup are tipped to come with larger batteries.

That's because it's claimed that the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Air devices will be eSIM only in Europe – something that's not been the case in recent years. And Apple will use the extra space inside each handset that affords to provide additional battery power.

Apple already removed the physical SIM tray in US-sold iPhones several generations ago – since the iPhone 14, in fact. But it has continued to be a mainstay in EU models (and in the UK).

EU networks have caught up now, it's said, and that reportedly allows Apple to standardise its offering – and apply the same charging improvements universally.

Reliable leaker ShrimpApplePro (via MacRumors) even goes as far as saying that the iPhone 17 Pro will gain an 18.6% rise in battery capacity – up to 4,252mAh (from 3,988mAh) – over its current equivalent.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max will reportedly sport a 5,088mAh – a boost of 8.6%, while the standard iPhone 17 will get a 3.6% gain in size, to 3,692mAh. Whether this will equate to additional hours of battery life is yet to be seen.

The much-rumoured iPhone 17 Air will naturally have a smaller battery than the phone it's replacing – the iPhone 16 Plus. That's because, eSIM or not, it'll have less space in its considerably slimmer chassis.

We'll find out for sure on all of this from 6pm BST tomorrow, when the Awe Dropping event kicks off. T3 wiol be covering the action live, of course, so join us to find out all the latest.